Assessment of Gender Equity Among Invited Speakers and Award Recipients at US Annual Medical Education Conferences

DiscussionBased on data from 2 prestigious conferences, significant gender inequity exists in speaking opportunities and recognition of medical educators.Less than one-third of plenary speakers and award recipients were women, while in the corresponding decade, women medical school faculty increased from 36% to 41%. 5 Our data fit a larger pattern of documented gender differences in speakerships and award presentations at specialty-specific meetings.The relatively higher representation of women awardees in humanism is not unexpected, as studies confirm that women are more likely to receive awards related to teaching and humanism and less likely to be recognized for distinction in research or leadership.6 We are therefore encouraged by the higher percentage of women recipients of the ACGME Courage to Lead award, which may increase mentorship and role modeling opportunities for female trainees.Study limitations include the genderize.ioalgorithm's tendency to overestimate the percentage of women and only recognize binary genders.Medical education conferences afford visibility and serve as important forums to disseminate scholarly work.Presenting and receiving recognition at national meetings are hallmarks of academic success and important factors for promotion of medical educators.As these conferences are attended by learners, leaders, and educators of future generations of physicians, award recipients and key speakerships affect more than just the individual.The public and visual recognition sends a powerful message of what and whom academic medicine considers important.Selection choices can encourage diversity and inclusivity or reinforce a culture of gender inequity in academic medicine as a whole.Increased representation of women in key speakerships and awards at major medical education conferences provides an important opportunity that can be systematically targeted.Medical education can, and should, lead the way in promoting gender equity.